


All This Waiting For This?

by AsSheWaits



Series: Sternderness Moments [1]
Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game)
Genre: F/F, Makeout in the closet trope, Original Character(s), Original Fiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2020-05-04
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:42:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24005287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AsSheWaits/pseuds/AsSheWaits
Summary: Tenderness and Sterling steal away for a moment during High Court. Written because my girlfriend and I didn't want to slow down the session, but we needed to canonically know what gay events happened.
Relationships: Tenderness/Sterling
Series: Sternderness Moments [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1731223
Kudos: 1





	All This Waiting For This?

**Author's Note:**

> Some background: Tenderness is a Tiefling cleric and Sterling is a Warforged barbarian. Sterling currently has on an item that let's her feel and look like a human. If anyone actually bothers to read this and wants to know what they look like, I guess I will add pictures in later.

It was right after pleasantries had been exchanged with a second dignitary that Sterling felt a familiar hand slide into her own. “Let’s go somewhere,” Tenderness said with a smile. Sterling would almost certainly follow Tenderness to the ends of the Earth, but she was even more relieved to be leaving this strange gathering full of rules and expectations that she had yet to fully grasp. Furthermore, not a single topic of conversation had been an area in which Sterling had any kind of expertise. Fashion, gossip, nostalgic stories. Sterling truly felt like an outsider. Perhaps if she had been programmed as a noble instead of a carpenter, she mused. She looked up at one of the expertly carved archways. How strange it was that she was surrounded by the most beautiful architecture she had ever seen and have no one to discuss it with.

Tenderness led her with precision navigation through the twists and turns of several hallways before firmly stopping at two large oak doors with curved gold handles. Behind them was the largest library Sterling had ever laid eyes on. Definitely bigger than Enna’s back at the coalition. And while that library had been built for function, with its large blocky shelves purposefully stuffed to the brim, this library had a decorative flair. Ornate stairwells curved around either side, leading up the second level. It seemed infinite. On the far wall there was a stained glass mural depicting one of the major Ardent queens if Sterling had to guess. She didn’t have much time to look though as Tenderness tugged her up one of the stairwells to a dark back corner and promptly found a hidden ladder leading into what looked like an attic.

Sterling quirked an eyebrow in amusement. Tenderness shrugged, “you find a lot of weird things when you’re waiting for your parents to finish their council meetings.”

“And I suppose it didn’t occur to you to pass the time by reading any of these many books?” Sterling asked, looking out to the vast collection before them.

“They have a pretty limited romance section,” Tenderness wrinkled her nose, “mostly a lot of historical texts. Very boring.” She gestured for Sterling to head up the ladder.

The attic looked like no one had stepped foot in it in years. A cloud of dust formed as Sterling entered, causing her to sneeze. A strange feeling, she thought. Tenderness followed, careful to avoid getting dust on her clothes. The attic didn’t look like it belonged to royalty. Half of the items in it looked long forgotten and were begging to be tossed out. Tenderness walked to a large crate, using her handkerchief to clear the dust from the top of it before sitting down. Sterling investigated a couple of objects before giving up and settling down next to her.

“Tenderness why did you bring me here? Is there something about this room that you have an emotional connection to? Perhaps a story from your childhood?”

She chuckled lightly. “No, I just knew nobody would come up here,” as she leaned in for a slow, languid kiss. Sterling’s hands instinctively reached for her face, caressing her thumb over Tenderness’ cheek. It was a gesture that she had picked up from Tenderness and had grown quite fond of.

Breaking the kiss, Tenderness placed her hands on Sterling’s arms, running them over the silky fabric, humming contentedly. Sterling had never once in her 22 years owned a shirt made of silk. She hadn’t seen the point. Now she understood why the fabric was so expensive, as Tenderness’ fingers softly swirled up and down the length of her arms. The material was able to convey the remarkable lightness of the touches causing the hair on the back of Sterling’s neck to stand up. “I would have been much less bored during those council meetings if you had been around,” Tenderness said. She placed a soft kiss on Sterling’s cheek. 

Sterling smirked at the thought of her and a young Tenderness hand-in-hand sneaking through the hallways, stealing kisses in whatever hidden rooms they could find. Honestly it wasn’t much different than what they were doing now. Her train of thought was abruptly interrupted as Tenderness once again captured her lips in a kiss. This one was even slower than the first. It was being savored by both parties involved. Sterling felt nails gently graze her neck as they carefully trailed their way down to the buttons of her shirt. She shivered. 

After the top button had been dealt with, Tenderness separated from her lips to place a light kiss to the newly available skin peeking out from under her shirt. And then another. Slowly trailing them back up her neck until her lips were once again the focus of Tenderness’ desire. Sterling had forgotten about the hands until another button had been freed from its place. Now her bra was exposed, and Tenderness’ hands were gently cupping the outside of it. She gasped and felt Tenderness smile against her lips. 

Sterling broke the contact peppering kisses along Tenderness’ exposed collarbones and shoulders. The halter provided an astounding amount of access, and Sterling began to wonder if the outfit choice was purposeful. Meanwhile Tenderness was gracefully accepting the kisses that Sterling was distributing across her collarbones with pleased sighs. Her right hand wistfully playing with the short hairs that couldn’t quite reach Sterling’s bun. There was a glow about her, perhaps it was from finally being able to be affectionate after a long day of being separated. She was content. 

Their mouths once again met in a kiss teeming with gentleness. It was almost as if it was taking place in slow motion. Adoration being poured into each minuscule movement. Then they heard a familiar low southern drawl, “the petition was changed.” They split instantly. Tenderness looked around frantically before realizing the voice was inside her head. 

“I have the real one that I can give to y’all,” Myn continued, unaware of the moment she had just ruined. Sterling sighed before reaching into her pack and pulling out her sending stone.

“We’ll meet you at the front gate.”

Tenderness busied herself by straightening out her hair. She dug around in her bag for a moment before producing a small compact mirror and began fixing her make-up. “I don’t know if I can save this lipstick,” she said wiping the corners of her mouth. After messing around with it for a few moments, she clapped the compact shut, “this will have to do.” She turned to look at Sterling and immediately stifled a giggle. 

“What?” Sterling asked as she hastily redid the buttons of her shirt. 

“Found where all my lipstick went.” She opened the mirror for Sterling to see a trail of light pink splotches running down her neck. “Don’t worry, it’s a quick fix.” Her hand glowed slightly as she ran the tips of her finger down Sterling’s neck, magic wiping away any evidence of their moment together. Sterling was aware that Tenderness didn’t have to be touching her to use the spell but appreciated the light warm tickle the magic gave her despite the tension it was causing. If she hadn’t just fixed her make-up Sterling would have been tempted to lean in for just one last kiss. Tenderness left one almost perfectly preserved mark at the base of Sterling’s neck, carefully pulling the collar of her shirt to cover it. “Just one little souvenir,” Tenderness said with a wink.

She held out her hand, and Sterling took it. The pair walked toward the palace gates, aware they had business to attend to, but both hoping that they would be able to pick up this moment later.


End file.
